Suction cleaner



H. B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANER Sept. 5, 1933.

Original Filed Jan. 24, 1929 5% J W 6 7 GPA [y Patented Sept. 5, 1933 PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Harry B. White, Canton,

Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, a corporation of Ohio Application January 24, R

1929, Serial No. 334,617

enewed January 23, 1933 16 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to suction cleaner nozzles.

Broadly the invention is characterized by the provision of a floating sub-nozzle within the main nozzle of the cleaner whose height above the surface being cleaned is automatically adjusted by means which are pressure responsive.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved and superior form of suction cleaner nozzle.

A further object is to'provide a suction cleaner nozzle so constructed that maximum cleaning efficiency is insured through theconstant maintaining of the nozzle lips in operative relation to the surface to be cleaned.

A still further object is the provision of a new and novel nozzle structure which is characterized by ruggedness and simplicity coupled with sensitiveness and reliability in its automatic height adjusting features.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the specification in connection with the accompanying drawing. 7

The invention is fully illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the various views and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner nozzle showing the nozzle mechanism.

Figure 2 is a top view of the invention with certain parts broken away.

Referring again to Figure 1 the reference $119.1- acter 1 indicates generally a suction cleanecomprising the usual motor casing 2, fan chamber 3 and main nozzle casing .4. Front supporting wheels 5, of which only one is shown, carry the weight of the front end of the machine and are fixedly journaled by bearing members 6 within the wheel-pockets '7 of the main nozzle casting formed by the walls 8 and 9. The pockets '7' are divided from the nozzle in which the flow of air takes place by the walls 9.

Supported and pivoted at 12 upon an arm 10 extending rearwardly at the sides of the nozzle casing are the side members 11,0f the floating sub-nozzle type hereinafter described. The members 11 extend forward through the pockets '7, making intimate contact with the forward wall. 9 thereof, into the main nozzle chamber 13. Referring to Figure 1 reference character 14 indicates a slot in the member 11 which is adapted to enclose the bearing member 6 of the wheel 5. An arcuate rack 15 is formed on the member 11 on a curvature which has as its center the pivot member 12. The forward end of the member 11 tween.

- nozzle and the machine proper and which is actuis provided with a slot 16 adapted to receive and seat a supporting shaft 1'7 of the rotor 18. In the operative position the rotor 18 is carried between the members 11, 11 and moves with them. Means 19 shown pivoted at the forward end of the member 11 is a spring pressed retaining member for the shaft 1'7 and in itself forms no part of the present invention.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2 a forward connecting member 20 forming the forward 5 nozzle-lip connects the two side members 11, 11 and has fastened to its upper edge a strip of chamois or other flexible material 21 which overlies the upper edge of the member and extends beside the outer edge and is adapted to make sliding contact with the inner edge of the main nozzle casing and prevent air leakage therebe- Spaced rearwardly from the connecting member 20 is a second connecting member 22 forming the rear nozzle-lip which also extends between the two side members 11,11 and bends back-upon itself across its entire length and tightly clamps the edge of a strip of flexible air-tight material 23 which is secured at its other side in any ordinary manner to the bottom plate 24 of the nozzle. The member 22 is provided at each end with lugs 35 which are clamped to the members 11, 11 by screws 36 permitting the separation of the lip and the members 11, 11

if desired. The members 20 and 22 forming the front and rear lips together with the members 11, 11 included therebetween; as the sides, form a subnozzle which is floating with respect to the main ated and adjusted as hereinafter described.

Seated directly above the main nozzle and hav- "ng its lower side 26 substantially co-extensive with the upper face thereof is a bellows indicated generally by the reference character 25. The upper face 2'7 of the bellows is hingedly connected to the side 26 and a spring 28 located at the pivot point tends to keep the bellows in the extended position. Openings 29 connect the interior of the bellows with the interior of the nozzle and insure that the same pressure will at all timesexist in those-members.

Pivotally connected to each end of the upper face 2'7 of the bellows by a pin 31 is an arm 30 which extends downwardly and makes pivotal contact with the lever arm 32 which is fixedly connected at its other end to the transverse rotatable shaft 33 upon each end of which is mounted a segmental pinion 34 in intermeshing relation with an arcuate rack 15 formed on the side of a member 11. The segmental pinions 34 'on each side of the nozzle are non-rotatablymounted on the shaft 33 thereby prohibiting relative movement between the two sides of the floating nozzle.

In the operation of the suction cleaner it is desirable at all times to have the nozzle lips make sufficient contact with the surface covering undergoing cleaning to insure a sufiicient'vacuum to lift the covering from the surface proper.

Such lifting permits the effective beating and sweeping of the lifted part of the covering and further causes the inrushing air to pass through the pressure of the lifted covering thereagainst and also in an increase of the resistance of the machine to movement through an inordinate displacement of the covering within the nozzleand the resultant pressure against the lips thereof.

A cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention insures the aforementioned desirable characteristics through its operation v30 which is as follows: The cleaner is placed on the surface covering to be cleaned and the motor started. As the motor starts the nozzle lips are found tightly pressed to the surface covering by the action of the spring 28 in extending the bellows thereby lifting the arm 30-which causes the shaft 33 to rotate with the resultant angular motion of the sub-nozzle about the pivot points 12 as the segmental pinion 34, through its rotation with the shaft 33, forces the toothed surface 15 downward. The tight sealing of the nozzle lips to the covering prevents a large inrush of air and as the air in the nozzle is exhausted by-the cleaner fan a vacuum is formed therein. As the bellows are directly connected to the nozzle by the passageways 29 the same pressure exists in the bellows as is found in the nozzle. The spring 28 is designed to resist a certain force and upon the vacuum in the bellows attaining a certain value below atmospheric pressure the exterior atmospheric pressure on the bellows overcomes the spring-force and the bellows begin to collapm. This results in an upward movement ofthe nozzle lips'through the" aforedescribed linkage with a consequent greater inrush of air between the nozzle lips and the surface covering. Upon the vacuum in the nozzle and bellows being decreased by this incoming air to a value where the collapsing pressure on the bellows .is equalled by the resisting force of the spring 28 a state of equilibrium is reached and no further adjustment takes place until a variation; from this state of equilibrium occurs. Such a variation would be caused by an increase in the amount of inrushing air caused by a decrease in the height of the pile. In such a case the springforce would instantly become greater than the collapsing pressure on the bellows, the bellows would be extended with a consequentlowering of the nozzle lips which would decrease the volume until equilibrium was again reached. The invention, as described, combines in a of the inrushing air therebyraising the vacuum I simple, rugged and novel structure the sensitivity required in the automatically adjusted nozzle which is requisite for constant emciency in a suc- .lip 22 and the sub-nozzle may then be rotated about the points 12, 12 until it reaches a position approximately ninety degrees displacedfrom its working position. This rotation is possible with the pin 31 removed for then the segmental pinion 34 can rotate until out of mesh with the rack 15, The wheel-supporting shaft 6 passes out through the slot 14 provided for that purpose. With the rotor in the lowered position it is readily removed from the sub-nozzle frame.

I claim: l.- In combination in a suction cleaner, a main nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle, and air pressure-responsi've automatic height-adjusting means controlling the position of said sub-nozzle, said means comprising a bellows open to said nozzle and adapted to be collapsed and expandedby nozzle-pressure variation and connecting linkage between a movable part of said bellows and said sub-nozzle adapted to raise and lower said subnozzle as said bellows is collapsed and expanded.

2. In combination in a suction cleaner, a main nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle within said main nozzle, a bellows open to said nozzle and adapted to be expanded and contracted with variation of nozzle pressure, and means connecting said bellows to said sub-nozzle to move said sub-nozzle upon operation of said bellows.

3. In combination in a suction cleaner, a main nozzle fixedly positioned above the surface being cleaned, afloatingsub-nozzle within the main nozzle pivotallyconnected thereto and having surface-contacting lips movably connected to said main nozzle in air-tight relation, and automatic air pressure-responsive height adjusting means operatively connected to saidsub-nozzle.

l. In combination in a suction cleaner, a main nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle within the main nozzle in sealed relation thereto, sealing means comprising afront lip on the sub-nozzle carrying and compressing a strip of "air-tight material against themain nozzle and a rear lip on said sub-nozzle flexibly connected 'to said main nozzle in sealed relation thereto, and air pressure-responsive height-adjusting means for said subnozzle.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a main nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle within said main nozzle in sealed relationthereto, said sub-nozzle comprising side plates pivoted to said main nozzle and transverse lips adapted to contact a surface covering undergoing cleaning, an agitator carried by loo said sub-nozzle, pressure-responsive means re-' said rack, and nozzle pressure-responsive means operatively connected to said pinion.

'7. A suction cleaner comprising a main nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle within said mainv nozzle, automatic means for controlling the position of said sub-nozzle in said main nozzle, said means comprising an air pressure-responsive bellows open to said nozzle and adapted to be collapsed or expanded upon nozzle-pressure variation, a member pivotally connected to amovable part of said bellows, a lever arm pivotally connected to said member at one of its ends and fixedly at-' tached to a rotatable pinion gear at its other end, and a toothed section on said sub-nozzle adapted to coact with said pinion gear.

8. A suction cleaner comprising a main nozzle, a fluid pressure-responsive bellows mounted thereon and interiorly connected therewith and a floating nozzle within said main nozzle, and power transmission means connecting said floating nozzle and said bellows to move said floating nozzle relative to said main nozzle upon the movement of said bellows.

9. A suction cleaner comprising a main nozzle having an opening in its upper surface, a fluid pressure-responsive bellows mounted thereon,

said bellows comprising a lower plate having an opening therein connecting with said main nozzle opening, an upper plate hinged to said lower plate, a spring at thehinge exerting a separating force and flexible air-proof side material connecting said plates, a floating frame within said main nozzle, nozzle lips carried by said frame and power transmission means connecting said bellows to said frame tomove said frame relative to said nozzle upon'expansion or contraction of said bellows.

10. In a suction"c1eaner, a nozzle, a floating sub-nozzle in operative relation to said main nozzle, a pressure-responsive device operatively connected to said nozzle, and means connecting said pressure-responsive device to said sub-nozzle to adjust'said sub-nozzle relatively to the nozzle upon pressure variations therein. 7

11. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a surfacecontacting 'lip movably supported relative to said nozzle, a pressure-responsive device, means interiorly connecting said device to said nozzle, and second means connecting said'lip and said device and adapted to vertically adjust said lip relative to the nozzle upon pressure variations therein.

12. In a suction cleaner, a body, suction-creating means, means for supporting said body above a surface covering undergoing cleaning, a surfacecontacting member transportable relative to said body and to a surface covering undergoing cleaning, fluid-pressure-responsive means operatively connected to a point on the low pressure side of said suction-creating means, and means connecting a moving part of said pressure-responsive means to said member to transport said member relative to said body and to the surface covering undergoing cleaning upon variations in suction.

13, The construction set forth in the preceding claim characterized by the fact that said member comprises a rotary agitator.

14. In a suction cleaner a body, means for supporting said body above a surface covering under going cleaning, an air passageway, a surfacecontacting lip defining a side'of said passageway,

said lip being movably mounted relative to said sageway and mounted for vertical movement relative to said body, a fluid-pressure-responsive device connected to said passageway, and means connecting amoving part of said device to said lips to move said lips upon pressure variations 16. In a suction cleaner, a body, means for supporting said body above a surface covering undergoing cleaning, and air passageway, spaced surface-contacting lips defining the mouth of said passageway and mounted for vertical movement relative to said body, a surface covering agitator mounted for movement with said lips, a fluidpressure-responsive device connected to said passageway, and means connecting amoving part of said device to, said lips to move said lips and agitator upon pressure variations.

HARRY B. wnrrn. 

